Prosthetic socket devices for fitting prostheses to residual limbs of amputees are traditionally by creating a male or positive mold of the residual limb area made from a female or negative casting sleeve formed by molding the sleeve directly against the residual limb, usually with the aid of a pressure casting system. The positive mold is then adjusted or “rectified,” such as to provide relief for sensitive areas of the residual limb, to obtain a correctly-sized socket that will fit the residual limb, and so forth. Finally, a socket is constructed based on the adjusted positive mold.
The traditional multiple-step molding and rectification process summarized above is extremely simplified; however, in practice the procedure is time-consuming and expensive, and heavily dependent on the individual skills of the prosthetist. Moreover, it is standard that different individuals handle different parts of the production process. For example, socket construction is typically performed by personnel working at a specialized lab, once the positive mold is complete. The additional personnel and transportation involved in the standard process contribute to the overall time and expense, even more so in small, remote, and/or socioeconomically disadvantaged rural locations.